Archive for February 27th, 2008
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday filed a case against detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 15 others including 10 former ministers from BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami for graft in awarding Barapukuria coal mine operation contract to a Chinese company.In the case filed with Shahbagh Police Station, the 16 have been accused of causing a loss of over Tk 158.71 crore to the public exchequer by awarding the production, management and maintenance contract through abuse of power.The accused former ministers from BNP are M Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, M Shamsul Islam, MK Anwar, barrister Aminul Haque, Altaf ...
(read more) Wednesday, February 27th, 2008The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday stayed the High Court (HC) verdict that declared inclusion of Emergency Power Rules (EPR) in the Tk 2.99 crore extortion case filed against Sheikh Hasina illegal and quashed it.The six-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin also stayed all proceedings of the case in the lower court and permitted the government to file a regular appeal against the HC judgment.The HC verdict had also stalled all proceedings of the case in the lower court.The SC fixed March 16 for the hearing of the government appeal.The trial of the case filed against detained ...
(read more) Wednesday, February 27th, 2008At the second sitting for an electoral reform dialogue with the Election Commission (EC) yesterday, Jamaat-e-Islami embarked on a tirade against the commission accusing it of virtually stepping beyond its jurisdiction, which the EC rebutted categorically.But the Islamist party did not specify which action of the EC constitutes stepping beyond its jurisdiction."The Election Commission's recommendation to amend the laws on different issues is unwanted and tantamount to stepping beyond its jurisdiction," said Jamaat's written electoral reform proposals submitted to the commission yesterday.In the face of a rising demand of most of the traditional parliamentary political parties taking part in the ...
(read more) Wednesday, February 27th, 2008Barapukuria coal mine development project, implemented under a Chinese Supplier's Credit scheme, remains one of the significant cases of corruption by some policymakers, officials and a business house during the tenure of two governments headed by Khaleda Zia.Instead of making profit, this coal mine project forced Bangladesh to accept about 100 percent cost escalation to Tk 1,600 crore from Tk 887 crore as well as reduction of coal production capacity to only seven lakh to one million tonnes a year from two million tonnes. And the cost of coal production per tonne was estimated at $35 but now it is ...
(read more) Wednesday, February 27th, 2008"The all-powerful mother and son" are to be blamed for his present state and "inhuman life in prison", claimed Lutfozzaman Babar, detained former state minister for home affairs, during CID interrogation on Monday.Sidestepping his responsibility, Babar told the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) interrogators in a prison cell at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital that he had tried to do good things for the country, but he has become controversial due to the influence of former premier Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman.Khaleda and Tarique are responsible for his inhuman life in prison, he also said."I made ...
(read more) Wednesday, February 27th, 2008Another 69,862 fowls were culled and 2,35,408 eggs destroyed in the last two days in districts of Mymensingh, Pabna and Chittagong due to infection of Avian influenza virus.Livestock department personnel culled 58,130 chickens including 37,000 chicks and destroyed 2,26,813 eggs from one single poultry farm in Mymensingh.Avian flu infection was detected at the farm, Keari Hatchery Process Ltd, in Trishal on February 23, said bird flu control room sources.Since February last year, 10,58,778 fowls have been culled and 14,56,551 eggs destroyed in 44 districts of the country, according to the sources.In Boalkhali upazila of Chittagong, a team of livestock ...
(read more) Wednesday, February 27th, 2008Army chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed has met India's top political and military leaders to find specific ways to boost defence, transport and trade ties between the two neighbours.Gen Moeen has also agreed for Bangladesh to finally honour Indian Army soldiers who died for Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971.The agreement was made during Moeen's meeting with Indian Chief of Army Staff Gen Deepak Kapoor, according to a report by Indian daily The Hindu yesterday.He also met Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday, discussing ways to take bilateral relations forward for mutual benefit.Gen Moeen is expected to call ...
(read more) Wednesday, February 27th, 2008A special court yesterday rejected the bail prayer of former premier and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina in the Tk 3 crore barge-mount power plant corruption case.The court again adjourned the hearing on charge framing against Hasina and seven others till March 3.Rejecting the bail prayer, the court said at this stage of hearing on charge framing the court does not consider awarding bail to her. Hasina's counsels filed the bail petition on February 13. The defence, however, said they would appeal to the High Court regarding the bail.Special Court-1, set up at MP hostel on Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises, ...
(read more) Wednesday, February 27th, 2008Expressing concern over a number of provisions of the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance, 2007, human rights bodies yesterday said the ordinance would not ensure independence, transparency, accountability and effectiveness of the Human Rights Commission.Describing in detail the flaws in the Human Rights Commission Ordinance, they urged the government to consult the citizens and human rights groups and make necessary amendments to the ordinance to make sure people's emancipation is reflected in it.During a joint press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity, human rights activists said the Human Rights Commission, meant to uphold human rights in every sphere of life, may ...
(read more) Wednesday, February 27th, 2008LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal will sit with the Election Commission (EC) in a week to finalise the criteria of ineligibility of candidates for local government elections with the EC preparing to hold city corporation polls in April.While the EC is formulating electoral laws with specific clauses on ineligibility of candidates for elections at all levels, the LGRD ministry is making three separate sets of laws for elections to city corporations, municipalities and zila, upazila and union parishads that will also have similar clauses.“I'll sit with the chief election commissioner (CEC) to see whether any of the clauses in the draft ...
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